How many are too many?

[lil_dozer]

I have been reading the messageboards for months now, (by the way I have learned so much from so many of you.{thanks} I have read that most biristleworms (at least small ones) are not a bad thing for a tank, they consume detritus, and are beneficial. I have a 30Gal. Reef tank. I was out of town for 3 weeks and left feeding and water changes up to my significant other to take care of. When I came back not one single water change had been done. He had been too afraid that he would mess everything up. (What he hadn't understood was) He made a very unhealthy cleanup for me to begin. I have been doing 10% water changes every three days since then. Which was about three weeks ago. Apparently he has way overfed my tank because my watchman became very skitish on the sandy bottom. He hid for at least a week. I thought surely he was gone when low and behold he showed up again. I was very happy to see him because he just happens to be my favorite fish. One night when the lights had been out for at least 6 hours (turn them on at night because I'm up all night and sleep during the day). I turned them on as usual. {sighs} There was my precious dozer with bristleworms attacking him. You could see where he was still alive struggling to get away. When the lights had come on many of these bristleworms ran for cover. I have since plucked 17 of these critters out of my tank. I turn out the lights and when it's time to turn them on I sit over the tank with long tweezers in hand, me waiting to place my hands all in the tank, and slowly turning over rocks to see if there are any about. In the last three days I haven't seen any in the rocks. I won't check the sand because I know they are beneficial. My question is how many of them are too many? I haven't seen any as of late? I have totally decreased the tanks feeding intake to {me monitoring each flake and frozen piece of food by putting it in the tank one by one} Is it possible that they are in the sand just waiting to come out and grab hold of more fish or do you think what I have done is sufficiant enough?
I had to finally become a member of the boards. I was tired of sitting in the silence looking for answers by just reading.
Any input would be most welcomed and appreciated.
Raven

 

[tripleshot]

It dosent hurt to have some in the tank as long as you dont have an boat load of them or any that are extreemly huge.. You could always get a Arrow crab they eat them. Also a six line wrasse eats them as well. I have a arrow crab in my reef tank.

 

[bigblue69]

I have heard this one of many reasons not to overfeed a tank. The more food the more they produce. I learned that when you cut back on the food they will eventually turn on each other and this will limit them in a tank.
Now if I was told wrong for those that have more experience than me please let me know.

 

[lil_dozer]

I once had an emerald crab in my 30gal. tank. I ended up taking him back to the fish store I baught him from. I watched him snatch one of my perks' right out of mid swim and eat him. I'm a real novice. I didn't have any experience at all when the pretty colorful fish became a must have and I decided to set up a saltwater tank. The guy at the fish store is one of the greatest guys I've met. I would refuse sale on anything he thought could not and would not

e in my tank. I have a 50gal. custom in my living room that has been sitting there a month. He won't allow me to place anything in it but the cleanup and the lr. in my 30 it took lots of lugging water back and forth. *Anyway. * Ha! I got off track. I brought it back and he set it in the tank. I didn't get full money back yet I did get a credit. I have read alot on crabs and such and have found anything with sharp claws to just be a no no. The fish in my 30 tank are pretty small.
2 clark clowns 2in
1 purple fishfish
1 red firefish
1 blue damsel
1domino damsel
1 yellow tang 3in
snails
red and blue crabs
Xeniids
couple mushrooms
assorted zoos
I started slow so that I could get a feel on the animals in my tank. Read as much as I could to learn about anything I ever wanted to have whats compatable or not, and so on.
Would an arrow crab be compatable with this tank or not? Do they grow in size fast? Would they begin to pray on the other animals in this tank if there wasn't enough food in the tank or not?
I had a 4 line wrasse in my tank, it died, I had a six line wrasse in my tank it died. The guy at the fish store told me not to buy them again because my tank was not established enough to hold the wrasse. The 30 has been up for 8 months, but it's a small tank. Possibly not enough food?
So should I go with the claws of an arrow crab? Try possibly a 6 line (wrasse went in my tank 3 months ago? Or just keep up the method I have been doing?
Also I have been doing water changes every three days in this tank and I cannot get my nitrates back down to 0. I cannot understand why. I have been doing everything naturally since I started the tank. I do not want to stick anything in there like "cure" liquids. Is there possibly anyway to get my water down to the right requirements?
Thanks BigBlue and tripleshot for the advice.
Now I just need a little more advice. (smiling)
Raven Child.